Edinburgh-born Hoy is one of the greatest of modern Olympians. Attracted to bikes at a young age, he cut his teeth on BMX racing before turning to track cycling. He would eventually concentrate on the individual sprint, an event that combines tactical nous with an explosive turn of speed. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics Hoy won gold medals in the individual sprint, the team sprint and the keirin. He was the first British Olympian for 100 years to claim three gold medals in a single Games. McRae’s triptych of portraits embodies Hoy’s triple success. As she wrote after spending time with him, “two words revolved in my head: golden and wholesome”.